What Happenes When You Are "glutened"?

[nasalady]

I have both neuro and gastric symptoms, and what happens when I've been glutened can vary a bit. My symptoms don't usually start right away, but within 12 to 72 hours later. The only time I knew immediately that I had been glutened my tongue started to tingle then I broke out with canker sores.

Anyway, generally within a day or two after a glutening I have a severe migraine headache, vertigo, hand tremors, diarrhea, stomach cramps and severe bloating, canker sores, gas, peripheral neuropathy, and SERIOUS brain fog!

Brain fog is a real problem for me because I work two jobs, and my part-time job is teaching math at a community college.

[ghostcat]

I'm so glad I found this board!!!!! Left side pain.....like a rock or CANNONBALL (perfect description,) in my gut! It got so bad that I developed severe back pain because I was always standing funny to compensate and I'd see pictures of myself out with people and I was hunched over because I remember being in severe pain and trying to hide it. It was hard to just stand......I had to be moving, leaning on something or sitting all the time. What is the exact mechanism of what's going on?

I've never been constipated from it, but it felt like I was rotting inside. It wasn't quite diarreah either, just not digesting anything. Hungry, always. I kept shoving more food in my face to settle my stomach and ginger and green tea.......I'd even buy those little jars of pickled ginger for sushi and just eat them straight or actually chew pieces of raw ginger. My gut just felt rotten. And I was puffy and retaining water, but had to pee all the time because I wanted to empty out my insides so that cannonball would have more room.

So left side pain is common huh? That's so funny because that was why the last doctor I went to wanted to just slap the label diverticulitis on me.....left side pain...who knew?

  SLB5757 said:

OptomisticMom - I almost forgot about my biggest symptom (the left sided pressure/pain)!! Glad Im not the only one who has that issue. That has been the one constant throughout and my biggest complaint.

[SLB5757]

Ghostcat -

Left sided pain had been my one constant throughout this whole journey. Of course I also have the short stature, brain fog, had a stillbirth child, dental enamel defects, etc. etc etc. But the Left sided pain has been my biggest complaint of all. It gets to the point if I am glutened that I can hardly breathe. It seems like one of the common attributes to Celiac/gluten intolerance - but not being very medically versed - I am not sure why. maybe someone on the boards has a good explanation as to why this happens??

Stacy

[Hummingbird4]

After the few accidental glutenings (that I know of), I had no reaction whatsoever. That's both a good thing and a bad thing! I try to be very careful about what I eat, and I don't take many chances. I rarely eat out in restaurants or at other people's homes, so I feel like I'm doing the right thing and taking this disease very seriously.

[ChaiTea]

I usually have no immediate symptoms, but by the next morning, the corners of my mouth are cracked and my tongue is sore. 48 hours later (almost exactly...which makes it pretty easy to pinpoint the problem) I get severe stomach cramps, then diarrhea. That usually lasts about half a day, then a day or so later, I get sore joints and muscles and the rash. The rash usually lasts a week or so but has lasted up to three months and itches like mad.

I'm right in the middle of a reaction now...not sure whether it was the Fixodent I used on my dentures, or a Dove Promises Bananas Foster candy. I was supposed to go see my son who just got home from Cuba, but instead, I'm camped out in the bathroom. I usually don't take ANY chances and don't know why I didn't check both products out thoroughly before trying them. It's not worth it.

[linda7276]

My symptoms are slow and subtle, fluid retention is one of the first things I notice along with slight numbness and tingling in my extremities, bloating, fatigue, bone pain, and the s/s of malabsortion return...will not gross you out with the details.... I also have unexplained anemia, which I'm hoping that now that I am not doing dairy anymore, that that will clear up too. Quitting gluten was not enough to stop that. I quit gluten, soy, dairy and only eat occas popcorn. My bone pain stopped when I quit the dairy...though it does return when I've been glutened. It usually takes me about a week now to recover from an incident which I think is an improvement.

Karrin I used to have terrible mind fog...omg...it was ridiculous, now it's almost non existent... . In fact, If I start acting like a space cadet it's the first thing I question. And nasalady I used to have hand tremors too...my son has that but he won't listen to me about gluten...I do not have tremors anymore. My family all reacts neurologically to gluten.

[Karrin]

  linda7276 said:

My symptoms are slow and subtle, fluid retention is one of the first things I notice along with slight numbness and tingling in my extremities, bloating, fatigue, bone pain, and the s/s of malabsortion return...will not gross you out with the details.... I also have unexplained anemia, which I'm hoping that now that I am not doing dairy anymore, that that will clear up too. Quitting gluten was not enough to stop that. I quit gluten, soy, dairy and only eat occas popcorn. My bone pain stopped when I quit the dairy...though it does return when I've been glutened. It usually takes me about a week now to recover from an incident which I think is an improvement.

Karrin I used to have terrible mind fog...omg...it was ridiculous, now it's almost non existent... . In fact, If I start acting like a space cadet it's the first thing I question. And nasalady I used to have hand tremors too...my son has that but he won't listen to me about gluten...I do not have tremors anymore. My family all reacts neurologically to gluten.

I get twitches in my hands! I never would have put that to eating gluten, but it makes sense. Occasionally, when I hold something, my hands shake really bad. My father saw it once and told me I was turning into an old woman (not far from the truth some days).

[linda7276]

  Karrin said:

I get twitches in my hands! I never would have put that to eating gluten, but it makes sense. Occasionally, when I hold something, my hands shake really bad. My father saw it once and told me I was turning into an old woman (not far from the truth some days).

It's amazing how varied the symptoms of gluten sensitivity are, this is part of why it's difficult for some people to realize that it's their problem, they think if they don't have the same symptoms as you or I, then they don't have a problem with gluten, but we all know that gluten affects us all is some similar ways, but also in many not so typical ways...and it's different for everyone, and what makes it even worse is that some people have no symptoms, and are being seriously damaged, but don't have a clue. Gluten is poison....period.

[betsb90]

hey everyone. I'm relieved to know I'm not the only one experiencing all these symptoms and it seems like I'm on the right track by eliminating gluten and dairy from my diet. I know a couple people have mentioned red bumps or breakouts as part of a gluten reaction, but I've been noticing that the skin on my arms and legs is covered in fleshcolored bumps that look like the texture of a basketball (sort of like goosebumps, but I'm not cold). I was just wondering if anyone else had experienced this or if it might be unrelated.

[Ariauna]

  mouse said:

When I first was diagnosed (5 years ago), I would get sick within 10 minutes of eating gluten. Which made it easy to figure out where I slipped up as I was just learning. But, after I was gluten free for a long time, the symptoms took longer to show. Like sometimes an hour. Now if I get accidentaly gluten, I get severe (and I mean severe) heartburn. Then the day after, the neurological problems kick in. I stagger around like I am drunk, hit the walls, because I can't judge the distance and wind up with a black and blue body. I have even fractured my arm during one of these episodes. I have had them last from a week to 3 months. So, for me, the recovery time depends on how much gluten I have accidently ingested. The neuro problem that lasted 3 months, was from one pill that was suppose to be gluten free.

I am so sorry that you got glutened Patty. May you feel a lot better real soon.

I've been gluten-free for about 3 months now and have been cc'd and just made a bad decision and not read a label. Within 30 minutes to 2 hours after I eat gluten my upper stomach starts twisting against my ribs the pain is just horrible and makes me feel like puking (although I don't I thenbecause I immediately pop a Bentyl), then my bowels start rumbling, twisting and just horribly cramp up on me. I end up in the bathroom with "D" usually 4 or 5 times in the first 4 hours until the Bentyl starts to work. Then for the next 36 hours I face bloating, gas and pain on my left side. Usually about 30 hours later I am able to start an intake of very bland foods and by the 4th day I am back to my gluten-free normal diet. Then for up to 7 days I face severe fatigue as in I can barely make it up and down the stairs it just feels as if my muscles have shut down, that along with muscle tremors in my hands and calves and an intense irritability, I really have to think before I speak and react to things during that time.